Thursday, December 1, 2011

INTERVIEW: ABIGAIL BRESLIN ON "NEW YEAR'S EVE"

Abigail Breslin

Director Garry Marshall (Pretty Woman, The Princess Diaries) won over Moviegoers at the Box Office with 2009's megastar Opus Rom-Com Valentine's Day and is now ready to unleash his latest effort, New Year's Eve. The Movie intertwines the Love Stories of various New Yorkers, all leading up to the annual Ball Drop at Times Square. What defines this Film ultimately is its stellar Cast including headlining names like Hilary Swank, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sarah Jessica Parker, Halle Berry, Ashton Kutcher, John Lithgow, Zac Efron, Robert De Niro, Katherine Heigl, Josh Duhamel and its youngest Star, Abigail Breslin. The now-15 year-old Actress at the age of seven became the fourth youngest Actress ever to be nominated for the prestigious Oscar with her Breakout Role as Olive in Little Miss Sunshine.

Breslin, flying into Toronto from her hometown of New York City, sat down to chat with a small group of Journalists about her role as the rebellious Hailey in New Year's Eve. This counts as her third collaboration with Marshall whom she likens to being "like a Grandpa" to her. Hailey's Storyline is about a 15 year-old Girl who sneaks-out on New Year's Eve to be with a Boy named Seth (Jake T. Austin) against the wishes of her watchful Mother Kate (Sarah Jessica Parker).

I asked Breslin what it was like bonding with iconic Sex and the City Star Parker to create a believable Mother-Daughter relationship. Believe it or not, Reality Television brought them together. She tells me, "It was a cold one-week April shoot, but we talked a lot about American Idol during filming and the whole 'who got voted off' thing. It was fun!".

Hailey at the price of rebellion gets her heart broken and I asked in real life how Breslin would handle seeing a Boy she likes kissing another Girl. After pondering it, she says "It's a tricky situation, so in real life I get where she's coming from.". Demonstrating true holiday spirit in forgiveness, Breslin says "Seth is a good Guy in the Movie so I'd cut him a little slack in real life.".

Many wonder how Breslin can balance her thriving Acting Career and also just being a 15 year-old Girl. The Actress currently is enrolled in Online High School, admitting at heart she's a "ten year-old boy", multitasking her affection for Computer Games (Oyunlar 1 is her favourite website) and Studies. When she is with her Friends she states,"We never really talk about my Career. We mostly talk about Clothes and Guys and stuff like that.". Breslin also credits her Mother Kim - her Manager - for helping her stay grounded clearly and organized, traveling with her when she films and Press Tours. "Once I get home from filming, I do regular things like clean my room and take the dogs out".

Abigail Breslin & Mr. Will-W.

Breslin is asked about her transition from a Child Actor to a Young Adult and it turns out that she doesn't see growing-up as a disadvantage. Instead, she chooses roles consciously which are within a year or so to her real age. She laughs, "Evidently I don't get any more Scripts for 10 year-olds unfortunately. I don't really think it's really difficult. As you get older, the scripts get older.".

Many don't realize that Breslin also is a Musician and together with her Best Friend Cassidy Reiff (who appears in the Film briefly), they have a Band named CABB. "Right now on Soundcloud we have a Song calledWell Wishes and we also have another in New Year's Eve. I recently finished filming The Class Project (also starring her Brother Spencer)and have a Song in that too which I'm really excited about", she tells us.

A self-admitted December Enthusiast, Breslin says "I hibernate through most of the year and come alive at this time of year". She looks forward to a low-key Holiday which includes lots of decorating, which unfortunately she still hasn't gotten around to yet. She plans to spend New Year's Eve this year at home with her Family, eating and watching the Ball Drop on Television and heading to bed soon after. No Drama here.

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